Muguruza's trademark are her flat, powerful groundstrokes off of both wings that allow her to take time away from her opponents and dictate baseline rallies. She also possesses a powerful serve that enables her to get cheap points during service games, and it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 113 mph. Her ability to move and slide effectively on clay also leaves her noted for her clay-court prowess, having reached three consecutive quarter-finals at Roland Garros from 2014 to 2016. Muguruza herself has claimed that "clay is [her] territory", as she feels most comfortable on the surface.

Represents Spain in tennis competitions, she has won three singles titles, most notably the 2016 French Open where she beat world number one Serena Williams in the final. By virtue of winning her first Grand Slam title in Paris, Muguruza became just the second player of either gender born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title after Petra Kvitová first did so at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. She achieved her career-high world ranking of No. 2 after the French Open.

Equipped with powerful groundstrokes and an aggressive gamestyle, Muguruza first came into prominence by reaching the fourth round of the 2014 Australian Open where she scored an upset over Caroline Wozniacki en route. She then defeated Serena Williams in the second round of the French Open that same year, beating the world number one in straight sets en route to the quarterfinals. In 2015, she won the China Open and reached her first Grand Slam final at the Wimbledon Championships. She also qualified for her first WTA Finals in 2015, scoring a perfect winning record in the round robin stage before falling out in the semifinals to eventual champion Agnieszka Radwa?ska..

Muguruza has been successful in doubles, winning five titles, finishing runner-up at the 2015 WTA Finals and reaching the 2014 French Open semifinals. She achieved those results with her compatriot, Carla Suárez Navarro.